STUART Holder completed a clean sweep of the Boys 14-17 years, brown and black belt division when the Barbados Karate Association (BKA) held a junior tournament at the Barbados Shotokan Karate Club's Dojo on Saturday. Performing a kata called 'Empi', Holder earned himself a total of 21.8 points, while Clarke finished with 21.7 points after his performance of a kata called 'Jion'.
Third place went to Dominic Roberts who was newly promoted to the rank of black at the grading last month.
In the Kumite (points sparing) category Holder was a cut above the other karatekas. He first defeated Ché Gibbons in the semi-final round to meet Clarke in the final.
Clarke had defeated Roberts in his semi-final match. Roberts who finished third had a tough elimination round against Christopher Bourne when he was struck in the left eye.
Clarke who was the bigger of the two martial artistes, did not seem to intimidate Holder with his stature. Holder made light work of him, ending off the fight with a round-house kick to stomach off the front leg.
In the girls' 14-17 years old, black belt Keisha Grimes with 22.01 points placed first in Kata performing 'Jion', while Nikita Fenty with 21.06 points, who is also a black placed second performing the same kata.
Sabeeha Kazi (brown belt) was third with 21.03 points after her performance of a kata called 'Bassai Dai'.
In the Kumite (points sparring), Grimes was once again at the top after defeating Fenty in the straight final of the Division.
Grimes first block a front kick from Fenty then countered with a reverse punch to stomach to earn her first half point. The fight was over in quick time as Fenty made a mistake and Grimes seized the opportunity.
In the boys 10-13 years old Brown to Black belt Division, Kyle Fenty (black belt) completed a clean sweep, winning Kata with 21.09 points.
Second was Jamaro Yearwood (brown belt) with 21.05 points and Kevin Whitehead (black belt) was third with 21.03 points.
Kyle Fenty then defeated Yearwood in the final of kumite. In the Boys 5-10 years Brown to Belt Division Kristopher Coppin (black belt) proved to be a cut above the rest as he won both the kata and kumite categories.
Even though he committed a mistake during his performance of 'Bassai Dai' he was still good enough to carry off first place.
Second place in Kata and Kumite went to Terron Greenidge (brown belt) and third was Yvan Grant (brown belt) in Kumite and Mali Carter (brown belt) in kata.
Kamilia Callender won the kata and kumite category in the boys and girls 11-16 years green belt Division. Second in both categories was Dominic Wilson.
Jordan Ollivierre won the 5-10 years boys and girls, green to purple belt kata, but was eliminated in the first round of the kumite category leaving Andre Gooding to go all the way after narrowly missing out on third place in kata. Second in kata was Jonathan Gooding and third was Tenisha Plowell.
Second in kumite was Plowell and third was Gooding. In the 11-16 years white to orange belt, Tyrone Yearwood won both kata and kumite, while Christopher Walcott was second in kumite and third in kata.
Johan Drayton was third in kumite and second in kata. Joseph Tseu won both the kata and kumite in the boys and girls white to orange.
Second in kumite and kata was Dana Xavier and third was Justin Yearwood.